Calamari Crime

Squid Trips & Activities

Few places on earth can live up to their own mythology, but Monterey, California, is a notable exception. No matter what you’ve heard or seen in feature films, nothing can prepare you for the jaw-dropping beauty along Monterey’s fabled coast and village-like pedestrian thoroughfares. John Steinbeck was a frequent visitor, and drew considerable inspiration from area landmarks including Cannery Row, which he helped to immortalize in his novel of the same name. Today, restaurants, boutiques, and scenic attractions have helped make Monterey a favorite destination for visitors from around the world.

We’ve worked with Premiere Events to arrange five optional tour opportunities to explore the Monterey Bay area before and after the Left Coast Crime 2014 convention. Our reduced rate hotel codes will apply before and after the convention at both the Portola and the Marriott.

Click to download Tour Descriptions and Registration Form


1. Whale Watching Tour Tuesday March 18, 2014 9:00 AM – Noon
WhaleThe Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is a federally-protected marine area offshore of California’s central coast. Stretching from Marin to Cambria, the sanctuary encompasses a shoreline length of 276 miles, and 5,322 square miles of ocean, extending an average distance of 30 miles from shore. Blue whales are abundant in summer and the humpbacks arrive in spring and remain through the fall. Gray whales feed in Monterey Bay during winter months. Monterey Bay is abundant with all kinds of life from sea otters and sea lions to dolphins and pelicans. The area also offers a fascinating mixture of active tectonic plates, dynamic ocean currents, and coastal scenery that is unsurpassed. This truly is an experience of a lifetime — don’t miss it!
Cost: $95 per person, includes professional guide, vessel admission, relief bands, non-alcoholic beverages and snacks on board, gratuities, and tax. (Departs Fisherman’s Wharf, 5-minute walk from the Portola Hotel & Spa)

2. Monterey Movie Tour Tuesday, March 18, 2014 1:00 – 5:00 PM
Movie TourThis fascinating two-tours-in-one outing features both magnificent landscapes and blockbuster scenes from some 200 movies filmed across the Monterey Peninsula. Winding through Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel, this scenic tour also stops along the stunning 17-Mile Drive® in Pebble Beach. The three-hour adventure takes place aboard our multimedia Theater-On-Wheels® — a customized luxury motor coach with high-back seats, overhead video screens, and personal headsets. As you glide past sites made famous on the big screen, you’ll hear behind-the-scenes stories of Hollywood glamour.
Cost: $115 per person, includes transportation, professional tour guide, admission fees, bottled water on board, driver and guide gratuities, and tax. (Departs Portola Hotel & Spa)

3. National Steinbeck Museum Wednesday, March 19, 2014 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Steinbeck MuseumThe Salinas Valley and its agricultural landscape peopled with farmers and immigrants provided rich fodder for Nobel Prize winning author John Steinbeck’s literary imagination. His life experience in the area led him to produce some of America’s most beloved novels, including Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, and Cannery Row. Our knowledgeable guide will provide commentary and answer questions as we head to the National Steinbeck Center to tour the new 37,000 square foot museum dedicated to the author’s life and works. The interactive nature of the exhibits allows for a fascinating afternoon — you can even start up an old crankcase automobile engine following the instructions taken right out of one of Steinbeck’s novels!
Cost: $95 per person, includes transportation, professional tour guide, museum admission, bottled water on board, driver and guide gratuities, and tax. (Departs Portola Hotel & Spa)

4. Big Sur Scenic Tour Wednesday, March 19, 2014 1:00 – 5:00 PM
Big SurExperience some of the most spectacular ocean views in the world along California’s wildly beautiful Big Sur coastline. We will travel down the renowned Big Sur coast enjoying colorful and informative commentary by a professional tour guide while overlooking dramatic land and sea vistas along the way. World famous California Highway 1 meanders through the coastal shrub and chaparral of the Santa Lucia Mountains and over one of the most photographed structures in the world — the elegant and graceful Bixby Bridge. Discover why the Big Sur area has been and continues to be home and inspiration to renowned authors, artists, and photographers including Henry Miller, Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, and Robinson Jeffers. Breathtaking scenery features ancient redwood groves and a wide variety of California wildlife, including the ever-popular sea otter. Visitors to the Big Sur coast describe being changed by its rustic beauty and you are sure to be impressed by the splendor of this special place.
Cost: $95 per person, includes transportation, professional tour guide, bottled water on board, driver and guide gratuities, and tax. (Departs Portola Hotel & Spa)

5. Carmel Valley Wine Tasting Sunday, March 23, 2014 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Carmel ValleyNamed a Top Ten wine destination by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Monterey County now has more vineyard acres planted than Napa County, which means more Monterey County wines to try. Sample the award-winning wines of the Central Coast and visit the tasting rooms of some of the most popular local winemakers, including Chateau Julien Wine Estate, Boekenoogen Winery, and Heller Vineyards. Another interesting aspect of this tour is the introduction to the agricultural industry of the area, as well as the wine industry. Let us do the driving so you may enjoy the fruits of the vineyards.
Cost: $120 per person, includes transportation, professional tour guide, tasting fees, bottled water on board, driver and guide gratuities, and tax. (Departs Portola Hotel & Spa)

Download Tour Descriptions and Registration Form

Registration and payment must be received no later than MARCH 1, 2014. Please be in the lobby of the Portola Hotel & Spa 10 minutes before the listed departure time as we make every attempt to depart on time. Your group will be met by PREMIERE EVENTS tour staff in the lobby and escorted to your departure point. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat for all activities, and wear layered clothing and comfortable walking shoes. Bottled water will be provided on all vehicles.

Tours are not ADA accessible. Please contact PREMIERE EVENTS for more details.

Cancellation Policy: Cancellation must be received on or before Tuesday, March 11, 2014, for a full refund. NO refunds will be issued for cancellations received after March 11, 2014. Tours not meeting minimum numbers (20) by the registration deadline will be cancelled. Payments will not be processed until tour minimums (20) are met. Guests will not be charged for tours that are cancelled; each guest will be contacted in the event of cancellation.

Questions? Contact PREMIERE EVENTS by email or call 831-689-8525 ext. 101.

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